The program began on a light note when emcee and KNUJ Radio General Manager Jim Bartels told a story about Bruce in his early working days at the radio station.

“Bruce had a Friday night record show, I think. He once played a record by Elvis Presley, who was considered pretty racy back then,” Bartels said. “Doris Aufderheide, who basically ran the station when George Korenchen was traveling, told him she’d break the record over his head if he played it again.”

Bartels said good friends are the jewels of life, difficult to replace.

Listing just some of the notable things they did for non-profit organizations was lengthy.

“Barb Fenske earned a masters degree and set up Gifted and Talented programs in New Ulm and Sleepy Eye before retiring in 2007,” said Nicole Briggs of the ISD 88 Foundation.

Barb taught for 35 years in District 88, serving as the United Way Coordinator for the entire school district. Bruce served on the task force that addressed the formation of the ISD 88 Foundation.

“They realized that relying on state funding was not enough for schools,” Briggs said. “Barb had great passion for teaching and innovation. They both made key community contributions.” Bruce was passionate about many things, she said, including bacon-wrapped, deviled eggs served at a event he hosted

“Bruce’s favorite words were ‘I’ll do it,’ “ said Rick Jensen of the New Ulm Area Foundation. “He was very instrumental in getting New Ulm Area Foundation funding matches going. He made it a lot better than it was when he found it.”

Missy Dreckman of the New Ulm Medical Center Foundation said the Virginia Piper Cancer Institute played a big part in the Fenske’s lives through Barb’s long and courageous battle with cancer.

“They brought us great, gala parties,” Dreckman said. “Bruce really loved the golf tournament, even though he didn’t golf. The Fenske legacy of giving will support many future projects.”

Dale Hartman of the Oak Hills Memorial Foundation said Bruce “always took any rough edges off of meetings with humor.”

“Even after he retired at The Journal, his finger was on the pulse of New Ulm. He had a real love for New Ulm,” Hartman said. “We were lucky to have in on the foundation board.”

Judy Sellner of State Street Theater said Barb was such a great actor to work with, especially in the role of Sister Amnesia in “Nunsense.” Later on, even after her cancer returned, she continued to enjoy acting, and the group rewrote some scenes around her.

“She showed us how to live life to the fullest, even with cancer,” Sellner said.

Reed Glawe of State Street Theater said Barb was a “hoot, wonderful to work with, and Bruce was the consummate volunteer. He’d always be there with a great attitude and a smile.”

Bruce was one of the investors in Cenate, the group local investors who worked to buy the New Ulm Middle School building, preserve the auditorium and find a developer for the school building.

“He graduated from here, and he said he was part of four generations of Fenskes to attend school here. He was very proud of that.”

Bruce’s younger sister Sandy, a dentist at Valley Dental Group in Golden Valley, said Barb was the visionary and Bruce was the doer in the family. They were planners, and one of Bruce’s favorite sayings was “It’s just as easy to be ten minutes early as it is to be ten minutes late,” Sandy said, “a statement that I will argue to be absolutely wrong.”

Sandy said she and her sister like to “fly by the seat of our pants,” she said. “My sister and I didn’t plan anything. They kept us all in line.”

All the speakers agreed that the Fenskes loved New Ulm, and did much to make it a better place.

fbusch@nujournal.com